Minister hopes Centre's panel will discuss Delhi's plea to suspend no-fuel rule for overage vehicles

New Delhi, Jul 7 (PTI) Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the Centre's air quality panel is scheduled to hold a meeting on Tuesday and the government is hopeful that its letter seeking suspension of the no fuel to overage vehicles scheme will be discussed for the betterment of city residents.

Speaking to PTI, Sirsa said the policy needs to be reconsidered after a proper study.

He said the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas has its meeting on Tuesday on the NCR issue and hoped that their letter regarding suspension of the no-fuel ban would be taken up.

"We are going to strongly raise the issue and expect that a constructive decision will be taken in Delhi's interest," he said, adding that as Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has already stated, the government will explore every possible option, including moving the Supreme Court, if required.

Taking a swipe at the previous government, Sirsa alleged that over 80,000 vehicles were ordered to be scrapped in the past but there is no clarity on where those vehicles went.

"Delhi does not even have a proper vehicle scrapping facility, so where were these vehicles scrapped? What happened to them? These details must come out," the minister said.

The Delhi government had earlier written to the Centre and the pollution control authorities, flagging concerns over the fuel ban's impact on common citizens and requesting a review of the directive.

Last week, the Delhi government urged the Centre's air quality panel to immediately suspend the fuel ban on overage vehicles and said it will make "all-out efforts" to resolve issues related to restrictions on the movement of end-of-life vehicles on city roads.

In a letter to CAQM Chairman Rajesh Verma, Sirsa said the fuel ban is not feasible and cannot be implemented due to technological challenges. PTI NSM NSM KSS KSS